Two elite US airmen die after parachute training accident

Two elite U.S. airmen who served in combat zones around the world died from injuries sustained during a parachuting accident in Florida, the military said on Tuesday.

The free fall training accident occurred on Monday at the Eglin Air Force Base. Its cause has not been determined and an ongoing investigation could take up to a year to complete, the Air Force said in a statement.

It identified the men as Sergeant Timothy Officer, 32, and Sergeant Marty Bettelyoun, 35. Both had served several tours of duty abroad and were part of a special tactics unit in the Air Force’s special operations division.

Officer, a 14-year veteran, had received two Bronze Star Medals for bravery, the Air Force said. Bettelyoun was a 15-year veteran.